Greetings, everyone, and thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV. I’m Don Valiant and this is the news from Gyeonggi Province this week. 1. Gyeonggi Disaster-related Basic Income – Where to Use it (0417-1) The online application period for Gyeonggi Province’s disaster-related basic income began on April 9. The received payment can be used as soon as the applicant receives a text message confirming approval. GTV examined some of the establishments at which these funds can be used. ► All Shops with Annual Sales of Less Than KRW 1 Billion These establishments include businesses with annual sales of less than KRW 1 billion that are located within the same city or county as the recipient’s registered address. Department stores, large supermarkets, entertainment and speculative businesses and franchise shops are excluded. ► Usable at Virtually All Establishments That Accept IC Cards This means that disaster-related basic income can be used at more than half a million establishments of more than 270 business types that accept regular IC credit cards. [CG] These include general seated restaurants, supermarkets, convenience stores, and medical and health businesses such as hospitals, pharmacies and health food shops, as well as culture, leisure and tourism businesses such as fitness clubs, sports shops, cinemas and lodgings. [CG] Also included are private educational institutes, bookshops and stationery shops, stores that sell goods such as shoes and bags, beauty salons, optical shops, and other stores that sell items such as furniture, electric home appliances, lighting fixtures and tiles. [CG] Other businesses include those that deal with household goods such as bedding and utensils, as well as laundries, gas stations, car washes, used car dealers and service businesses such as realtors. In general, disaster-related basic income can be used at most business establishments that are related to daily life.   2. Public Hearing on Gyeonggi Transportation Corporation Establishment (0420-2) On April 17, Gyeonggi Province held a public hearing to gather resident opinions on the establishment of the Gyeonggi Transportation Corporation as pursued by the province. The hearing was held in both online and offline modes to prevent the spread of COVID-19. ► Gyeonggi Pursues Establishment of Provincial Transportation Corporation The objective of this pursuit is to serve public interest and improve the efficiency of public transportation systems so as to meet increasing demand. ► Gyeonggi Province Transportation Training Center (April 17) Resident Hearing on Establishment of Gyeonggi Transportation Corporation Gyeonggi Province organized this public hearing to gather resident opinions so as to successfully establish and operate this provincial corporation. ► Jeong Pil-hyeon, Director, Gyeonggi Province Transportation Headquarters "We will prepare various projects including new transportation means procurement, new technology development and the marketing of know-how gained from experience so as to be able to flexibly respond to globally changing transportation environments.” ► Kim Jin-il, Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Member "I hope that, through the success of this public hearing, the Gyeonggi Transportation Corporation will be born as an organization that will fully satisfy the needs of residents.” ► Hearing Held Online and Offline to Minimize Personal Attendance and Facilitate Social Distancing So as to prevent the spread of COVID-19, this public hearing was held with a minimum number of on-site participants while residents presented opinions in real time via an online chat room. ► 250 Participate via Online Chat Room Through this online chat room, more than 250 residents participated and offered opinions on diverse matters such as route management using data analysis and the elimination of transportation blind spots. ► Gyeonggi Transportation Corporation Establishment Plan Presented and Discussed During the hearing, specialists presented Gyeonggi Transportation Corporation establishment plans with discussion and question-and-answer sessions following thereafter. ► Park Tae-hwan, Director General, Gyeonggi Province Transportation Bureau "We expect that (through the establishment of the Gyeonggi Transportation Corporation,) public interest will be served and transportation service quality for residents will be improved.” Incorporating the opinions gathered during the public hearing, Gyeonggi Province plans to establish the corporation this year after completing all necessary procedures.   3. Gyeonggi Governor Visits Gunsan City to Benchmark Public Delivery App (0420-3) On April 17, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung (이재명) visited Gunsan (군산) City to benchmark its public delivery app. Governor Lee recently signed an agreement with the city for the development of the province’s delivery app so as to prevent monopolization by private enterprises. ► Governor Lee Visits Gunsan City on April 17 During his visit, Governor Lee viewed the operation of Gunsan (군산) City’s public delivery app, ‘Master of Delivery,’ firsthand. ► Gunsan City’s Public Delivery App ‘Master of Delivery’ Benchmarked The Master of Delivery app was launched this past March with its entire service operation consigned to a private enterprise with Gunsan City providing administrative support. ► Governor Lee Views Operation Firsthand at App Operator and Affiliated Business Sites Accompanied by the Gunsan City Mayor, Governor Lee visited the operating enterprise to directly examine operational aspects of the app. He also visited client business sites to discuss related commercial issues and the effects of app service utilization. ► Governor Lee Expresses Determination to Develop Public App as SOC During his visit, Governor Lee expressed his determination to successfully create a local currency-based public app that will become a model for digital social overhead capital. ► Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung “…(publicly developed apps) should be viewed as digital infrastructure. Therefore, it is right to employ an SOC approach.” ► Governor Lee Suggests Integration of Regional Public Delivery Apps to Reduce Operation Costs Governor Lee also suggested the integration of public delivery apps among autonomous bodies to reduce operation costs. ► Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung “From a long-term point of view, integrated operation through an interregional network is necessary since cost reduction can only be achieved through the integration of server operations. With compatible operations, a person from Seoul, for example, may be able to use Gunsan’s app through automatic switching (of the regional delivery app) based on GPS…” ► Gyeonggi Ready to Develop Public Delivery App Linked with Local Currency Usage Governor Lee offered assurances of success, asserting that the province is well poised for the development of a public app that provides residents with convenience and benefits through local currency incentives while enabling small businesses to save money, workers to enjoy improved employment conditions, and the nation to secure digital social overhead capital.   4. Gyeonggi Introduces ‘Ultra-low Credit Loans’ for Individuals with Low Credit Ratings (0420-1) Gyeonggi Province recently launched a special loan program for individuals with low credit ratings as a means to help provincial recovery from the COVID-19-induced economic crisis. This program offers unconditional personal loans, known as ‘Ultra-low Credit Loans,’ of up to KRW 500,000. ► Unconditional 5-Year Loan of up to KRW 500,000 Provided at 1% Interest All Gyeonggi residents over 19 years of age with credit ratings below 7 are eligible for a loan of up to KRW 500,000 for up to 5 years at an annual interest rate of 1 percent without requirement for approval. ► Applications Received at Local Administration and Welfare Centers Applications for this loan are being received at local administration and welfare centers instead of banks. ► Korea’s First COVID-19 Economic Aid Program for Individuals with Low Credit Ratings This loan program, the first of its kind in Korea, is geared for individuals who face difficulties during the COVID-19 crisis but who unable to secure bank loans due to very low credit ratings. Loan amounts can be increased up to KRW 3 million on the condition of screening. However, loans for KRW 3 million were exhausted within a few days at some administration and welfare centers. ► Song Su-nam, Administration and Welfare Official “We regret very much that we can no longer honor applications for loans of KRW 3 million. For those applicants, we can only offer loans for KRW 500,000 …” ► Governor Lee Visits Application Site On April 16, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung (이재명) visited an application site and conversed with the concerned officials as well as program-related organization representatives. ► Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung “I hope that we can eliminate blind spots and prevent incidents in which people make drastic choices over small amounts of money or suffer damage by using illegal loan sharks for small loans.” He asked related officials to minimize application examination processes and to help those who really need loans. ► Governor Lee Intends to Make Ultra-low Credit Loan Program Permanent Referring to the Ultra-low Credit Loan as being between finance and welfare, Governor Lee asked those concerned to improve the program on an ongoing basis, expressing his intent to continue the program. The coverage of the current program amounts to KRW 50 billion. ► First Application Period Ends; Second Period Begins on April 27 The first application period ended last week. The second application period will begin on April 27. Applications may be submitted online via the welfare platform or in person at local administration and welfare offices.   5. Offline Applications for Gyeonggi Disaster-related Basic Income Payments Begin (0421-1) On April 20, Gyeonggi Province began receiving offline applications for disaster-related basic income payments through district administration and welfare offices and NH Bank branches. Payment is made on-site with prepaid cards. For online applications, the related Gyeonggi website opened on April 9. ► Ojeong-dong Administration and Welfare Center, Uijeongbu City (April 20) At this administration and welfare office in Uiwang (의왕) City, officials are busy processing applications for disaster-related basic income payments. A large number of applicants are waiting to be called. ► Ingye-dong Administration and Welfare Center, Suwon City At another location, applicants had already formed a long line before the office opened. ► Shim Wu-sam, Disaster-related Basic Income Payment Applicant “Since I am not familiar with the internet like young people, I chose to come to receive a prepaid card. The procedure was very simple and convenient.” While the online application website opened for payment by local currency or toward a credit card balance, in-person application desks opened to serve those for whom online services are inconvenient. ► Prepaid Cards Issued on Application Users of the direct application method are provided with a prepaid card that is usable after receiving a text message notice of activation within 2 or 3 days. ► GTV Reporter Choi Ji-hyeon “The prepaid cards have serial numbers which can be traced if users exchange them for cash at a discount. To avoid crowding at application sites, possible application days are designated for each applicant based on birth year and the number of household members.” [CG] The first week is designated for those who have more than 4 household members, the second week is designated for those who have 3 household members, and so on. [CG] The day of the week for application is designated based on one’s year of birth. ► 430,000 Applications Received on First Day On the first day alone, a total of approximately 430,000 applications were received. Including those made online, nearly half of all Gyeonggi residents have submitted applications. ► Kim Jeong-min, Director, Gyeonggi Province PR Media Division “The idea behind the disaster-related basic income payment program is not only to increase individual income but also to facilitate local economic livelihood through consumption. Gyeonggi Province has introduced various accompanying events to promote consumption using the received payments.” ► Variety of Consumer Events Held to Promote Use of Disaster-related Income These events, in which Gyeonggi Province encourages residents to participate, include a good restaurant patronage event and gift provision to those who share disaster-related basic income usage stories on Gyeonggi’s social networking services. Through wise consumption using disaster-related basic income, the collective efforts of Gyeonggi residents will be remembered as a model for overcoming the economic difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.   6. 343rd Extraordinary Session of Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Begins (0422-1) On April 21, the 343rd extraordinary session of the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly opened. This 9-day session will operate at a reduced scale so as to maintain social distancing during the COVID-19 crisis. ► Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly (April 21) 1st General Meeting of 343rd Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Extraordinary Session In accordance with this scaled-down approach, this extraordinary session, which will end on April 29, will not include inquiries on provincial administration matters, which were originally scheduled to run for two days. For the same purpose, the regular 5-minute speeches by assembly members will be replaced with document presentations. ► Nam Jong-seok, Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Member (Democratic Party) “For the first time in Korea, the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly has participated in the payment of disaster-related basic income to all provincial residents who are experiencing difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Together with Governor Lee and the 31 cities and counties of the province, the assembly is actively involved in efforts to overcome the crisis.” The duration of the general meeting will be reduced through the use of an electronic conference system for draft presentations and reports review. ► Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly Chairperson Song Han-jun “I ask you to make the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly an axis in the bold-but-careful preparation of policies, enabling their effects to swiftly enter the lives of residents through our combined efforts.” During this extraordinary session, more than 100 items will be reviewed. ► Disaster-related Basic Income Ordinance Amendment to Be Reviewed These items include new ordinances and ordinance amendments pertaining to disaster-related basic income payments to immigrant spouses and permanent residents, support for memorial projects for Gyeonggi residents who were forcefully mobilized during the Japanese Occupation, and the expansion of subjects and scale of support for civilian victims of the Korean War. The second general meeting is slated for April 29 for special committee reviews.   7. Gyeonggi Provides All Childcare Centers with COVID-19 Equipment (0423-2) Recently, Gyeonggi Province began providing all childcare facilities in the province with COVID-19 items including masks, sanitizers and thermometers. ► Suwon Municipal Tapgoeul Childcare Center Today, this childcare center received a visit from a Suwon City official who came to deliver masks. The city is supplying two masks to each child and teacher in childcare centers in the city. ► Lim Gyu-wan, Director, Suwon Municipal Tapgoeul Childcare Center “Sometimes, there are children who come without masks. We can use these masks for such children. I am grateful, and I believe the parents of these children will also be grateful.” ► Masks to Be Provided to 19,000+ Childcare Facilities in Gyeonggi In line with the Korean government’s quarantine equipment support program for childcare centers, Gyeonggi Province will provide masks to more than 19,000 childcare facilities in the province in preparation for emergencies when COVID-19 infections occur within the facilities. ► Equipment Include Sanitizers and Noncontact Thermometers In addition to masks, the province will also supply sanitizers while local governments will supply one thermometer to each facility with less than 50 children and two for those with 50 or more children. ► Sterilization and Body Temperature Examination for Prevention of COVID-19 Infection The sanitizers and thermometers will be used to guard against possible COVID-19 infections. Thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of GTV. We look forward to seeing you again next week.